Fresh Eyes
by Cantabo
Summary: Azumi is caught in her own world, oblivious to everyone else. When a chance meeting brings her in contact with a Host Club she hadn't known existed, things start to change. She's caught up in a whirlwind of idiots and a tall boy who understands her lack of social skills. Mori/OC. Warning for future mature themes. HIATUS!
1. Chapter 1

Author's notes will be at the end of chapters, with the exception of content warnings. This story is rated T for mature themes and possibly language, because I have a terrible sense of humor and whatnot. Please read with that in mind.

* * *

The day that things started to change for Hisakawa Azumi was remarkably similar to every other day.

"Hisa-san, it's time to wake up. You have class today!" Sari said cheerily, shaking Azumi gently until she groggily lifted a hand out of her cocoon of covers, signaling that she was awake.

"Remember, tonight your mother will be flying in from Germany," Sari said as she walked around Azumi's room, opening her curtains to let in some light. Azumi groaned and shifted in her bed, not ready to leave her sanctuary.

Sari doesn't leave, because this morning is no different from any other. Azumi knew she was standing patiently by the window, waiting for Azumi to crawl out of bed and take a shower. She's a good servant, and secretly Azumi considered her to be a dear friend, even if it isn't very appropriate. Sari understood better than most people how easily Azumi got lost in her own mind.

After a few more seconds of bliss in bed, Azumi sighed and crawled her way out of her wrap of blankets, tripping over her sheets and stumbling as she made her way to the bathroom.

"You're going to have a wonderful day, Hisa-san!" Sari called as the bathroom door shut. Despite the early morning and the lack of sleep Azumi got, she smiled. Sari truly is a wonderful person.

In the shower, Azumi washed her face and body, then worked on untangling her hair, which she twisted into knots last night while sleeping. It took a while, but eventually her hair is free of tangles and knots. She turned off the water and wrapped herself into a towel, wrapping a second towel around her hair, and exited the bathroom.

Sari had laid out her uniform yellow dress on the bed and a clean pair of tights and undergarments. Azumi knew that on the dresser her hairbrush and hair ties have been laid out as well, waiting for her.

Sari is gone, which is also normal, and she knew that when she went down to breakfast she would find Sari already seated, along with Katsumi, another servant, and Hiroto, the Hisakawa's driver. Azumi knew that her sisters will be there as well, with Mai grumbling into her food and Sachi animatedly babbling to anyone who will listen.

She put on some undergarments and then her tights, moving to her dresser to fix her hair. She brushed out her damp, dark blonde hair, twisting it into a braid down her back and securing it with a hair tie. She inspected herself, seeing her brown eyes and fair skin, and decided she looks decent for school.

She slipped on her dress and put on her shoes, fumbling with the buckles like she did every day.

When she got downstairs, after the lengthy walk from her room to the informal dining room, she saw exactly what she expected. Sari and Katsumi and nodding along to whatever Sachi is going on about, Hiroto reading the newspaper, and Mai glaring at her bowl of fruit, angry to be awake before noon.

Azumi smiled politely, bidding everyone a good morning before sitting down. She ate her breakfast and let herself get lost in her mind, thinking about the painting she started last night, which was going to be a landscape when it was finished. She was excited about it, enjoying the contrasting colors and the balance between darks and lights she had found. It needed a lot of work, but she felt confident that when it was finished, she could happily hang it up in their art gallery, where her other paintings were.

She was lost in herself as she finished her breakfast, but made sure to say thank you to Sari and Katsumi for helping her this morning, as she did every morning. She waited for her sisters to do the same before nodding to Hiroto that they were ready to go to school.

Sari and Katsumi walked them to the door, wishing them a good day and handing them their school bags. Azumi told them thank you once more, made sure her sisters did the same, and then got into the limo.

The ride consisted of Mai and Sachi bickering good-naturedly, but Azumi tuned it out, letting her mind go blissfully blank as she watched the scenery pass by. Stopping off at the Ouran elementary school for Sachi, who was only a fourth year there, and at the Ouran middle school for Mai, who was a seventh year, Azumi wished them both a good day, which they returned kindly. Azumi prided herself on having a good relationship with both of her sisters

When Hiroto pulled up to the Ouran high school, he opened the door for her, and Azumi made sure to thank him once more before heading inside. Just as every morning, Azumi was early enough that she didn't have to rush.

As a third year, Azumi had a very light schedule. She had taken an abundance of classes her first two years in order to make room for art classes during her final year of high school. She headed toward the West wing, where her first class of the day was. She walked down the winding hallways and up immense staircases, not really noticing her classmates around her. Azumi let her mind wander as she took the familiar path to her classroom.

Azumi wasn't an unkind person. She didn't mean to ignore her classmates, it just happened. She was caught up in her on world. She thought about art all day, and she failed to engage herself in the real world more often than not. Sari constantly encouraged her to go out with some school friends or invite people over for dinner as her sisters did, but Azumi never had any interest in that. She wasn't a social person. She enjoyed being alone, because she was able to do things at her own pace, and never had to worry about saying the wrong thing or not picking up on social cues. She enjoyed her independence, she thrived on it.

She was shocked out of her morning walk when she ran into someone, tripping over her own foot and falling to the floor. When she looked up, she saw a boy with a scowling face looking down at her. She blinked, not understanding why he would be so upset over something so trivial.

"I'm sorry, I didn't see you," Azumi said, reaching over to grab her bag, which had been knocked off her shoulder.

"Watch where you're going, then," He muttered, walking off. Blinking after him, she couldn't believe how rude he had been. Rolling her eyes, she pushing her bag back onto her shoulder. She moved to get up when a hand appeared in front of her.

A tall young man held his hand out, offering to help her up. He had dark hair, tanned skin, and stoic eyes. She noticed he had a handsome face, and was well built, meaning he probably did some form of martial arts. Azumi figured he was in her year, judging by his size. She smiled at him and took the offered hand, lifting herself off the ground with his help.

She brushed off her dress and glanced up at him. He was looking at her with a raised eyebrow, as if silently asking whether she was okay or not.

"Thank you for your help," she said, bowing slightly to him. He held up his hand, silently saying that no thanks was needed. She smiled at him before continuing her walk to class.

Azumi was back in her own world after a few steps to steady herself. She didn't notice the eyes of her classmates that followed her, silently gossiping over how Morinozuka had helped her up, and if they were friends. Jealousy spiked in a few girls, while the rest simply questioned why she hadn't fawned over him, before forgetting the entire thing.

Mori's eyes stayed on Azumi's retreating figure, ignoring the gossip.

* * *

"Hisa-san, what about you?" Kimi asked. Azumi looked up from her lunch, startled that someone had spoken to her. She hadn't even noticed that there were people sitting at the same table as her. She'd been lost in her sketchbook, drawing an old woman, and hadn't even noticed when they sat down, apparently.

"I'm sorry, I must have drifted off, what were you saying, Ito-san?" Azumi asked.

"What are your plans after school?" Kimi asked, smiling. Ito Kimi was a fellow classmate of Azumi's. She was a nice enough girl, always around her cousin Ito Runa, who was sitting next to her.

"I was planning to take a look at the flowers they just planted in the gardens," Azumi said, smiling politely.

"We were thinking of going to the Host Club today, would you like to join us?" Kimi asked.

Azumi blinked. Host Club?

"What is that?" Azumi asked.

Kimi and Runa stopped, looking at her in shock. Kimi's chopsticks were hovering in front of her mouth, food dripping back into her bowl, and Runa's mouth was open in disbelief.

"You can't be serious, Hisa-san. You must know of the Host Club, they're quite notorious!" Runa said, looking at Azumi as if she had grown a second head.

"Is it some type of escort service?" Azumi asked, wondering why they would want to go to such a thing, much less why they would openly ask her to join.

They both looked at each other in shock before giggling. Azumi felt herself flush in embarrassment.

"Not at all, it's a club of gentleman that entertain us after school! It's such an exciting experience! Would you please join us today? We'd enjoy being the ones to take you for the first time," Kimi said, smiling at her.

Host club? It sounds like an odd ordeal, Azumi doesn't really think it's worth spending her afternoon on.

"I don't know, it doesn't sound like something I would enjoy," Azumi said, taking a sip of her tea.

The idea of men telling her what they think she wants to hear sounds entirely unappealing. Kimi and Runa, however, seem to take her indecision as agreement, because they're already gushing about each of the members, and how they like to cosplay and how gentlemanly they are.

Azumi nodded her head along and smiles, figuring that she should give it a chance before she decides it isn't her cup of tea.

* * *

Kimi and Runa look back at her excitedly as they pushed open the door to Music Room #3, and ignored the rose petals that floated out. Azumi watched them flutter to the floor in confusion.

 _That seems like a waste of rose petals_ , she thought.

"Welcome, Kimi and Runa. It's so lovely to see you've returned. Who is your friend?" A boy with glasses asked. He's tall, with pale skin and dark hair, light glinting off his glasses. He's got a smirk on his face as if he already knows the answer, and is asking purely for formalities.

"This is Hisakawa Azumi, she's a classmate of ours. She's never heard of the Host Club, and once we found out we insisted she come with us to meet all of you!" Runa said, smiling and batting her eyes at the boy with glasses. His eyebrow quirks, and his smirk widens.

"Well then, allow me the liberty of showing her around. I trust you two will be visiting Tamaki today?" He asked, pulling out a notebook, pen poised, as if their answers were important enough information to be worth writing down.

"Oh, Kyoya, you know us so well," Kimi said, blushing as they bowed, waving to Azumi and they walked toward a blonde boy gesturing wildly.

Azumi turned back to Kyoya, who was writing quickly in his notebook. She felt the familiar creeping of anxiety climb up her spine, and tried to push it down, reminding herself that it was just one day, and if she didn't have a good time she didn't have to come back again.

"It's very nice to have you here, Hisakawa-san, I'd like to be the first to welcome you to the Host Club. My name is Ootori Kyoya. Would you like a tour?" He asked, elbow already out, as if her answer has already been decided. She pushed down the wave of irritation that bubbled up, telling herself that he was probably raised in a formal household and didn't wait for people's answers often. No one could possibly be this self-involved without someone else raising them this way.

"Thank you, that's very kind of you," Azumi said, but didn't take his elbow. Kyoya raised an eyebrow at her, but started walking anyways.

"The Host Club is dedicated to making the women at Ouran happy, we've got many different types of hosts to choose from," Kyoya said, leading her over to two twins, who were holding each other in an embrace.

"These are the Hitachiin twins, Hikaru and Kaoru. They come with our brotherly love package," Kyoya said. The twins noticed them, and smirked, before heading over.

"Ooh, fresh meat," one of them said.

"Kyoya, who is our newest guest?" The other asked, taking her hand to place a kiss on it. Some girls that were on a nearby couch squealed, but Azumi just raised an eyebrow.

"This is Hisakawa Azumi. She's a third year. It's her first time here, so please, try to be polite," Kyoya said, glaring at them during the last part. The twins shared a look, before turning to her.

"Are you new to Ouran?" They asked.

"No," Azumi said, pulling her hand back. She watched their looks of confusion, confused herself.

"How have you not been here before? I thought every girl at Ouran had heard of the Host Club," One of them said, giving her a look while the other one nodded along.

Kyoya looked at her as well, as if he too wanted to know the answer to this question. The girls nearby turned their heads, listening in so obviously that Azumi tried not to roll her eyes. Didn't these people have anything better to do?

"I don't know, I didn't know this club existed until today. I thought it was an escort service," Azumi said shrugging.

There was a squawk from across the room, and suddenly the blonde boy Runa and Kimi were sitting with was charging over towards her, red faced and wide eyed, arms flailing as he shouted inconsequential things to Azumi, who wasn't paying attention to him.

"This is our club president, Suoh Tamaki. You'll have to excuse him, he's quite excitable, like a small child," Kyoya said, smirking. This only seemed to enrage Tamaki even more, whose arms started flailing even faster.

"Or a small dog," The twins said, snickering. Tamaki's cries became even louder, drawing the attention of everyone nearby.

"Oh my, it looks like Tamaki is having a fit," A girl said.

Instantly, Tamaki was next to her, grabbing her chin as he looked deep into her eyes.

"My dear, the only reason I'm in such a fit is because your beauty if too vast to comprehend," He said, and then tilted her face to kiss her cheek.

Azumi rolled her eyes as all the girls nearby sighed. This is ridiculous.

"We also offer the Lolita package, the Strong, Silent package, and the Natural package," Kyoya said. He has his clipboard poised, ready to take down her decision.

"I'm sorry, this is kind of overwhelming. I don't even know what your club is supposed to do," Azumi said, backing up slightly. Kyoya looks at her for a little while, before smirking again.

 _This guy really likes smirking_.

"I think I should introduce you to Haruhi, our natural."

Kyoya leads Azumi towards a boy who has a book propped on his lap, clearly busy studying. She wondered why Kyoya would bring her over to someone who obviously had something to do.

"Haruhi, this is our newest customer, Hisakawa Azumi. Hisakawa-san, this is Fujioka Haruhi," Kyoya said. Haruhi looked up, smiling at her and bowing.

"It's a pleasure to meet you. Are you enjoying the Host Club?" He asked. Azumi smiled, bowing back in greeting.

"It's been interesting, Fujioka-san," She said, smiling when Haruhi laughed at her answer. Kyoya even gave a smile, not one of the smirks that he had been wearing so far.

"Interesting is a good way to describe this place," Haruhi agreed. They chatted politely for a few more minutes, and Azumi learned that Haruhi was at Ouran on scholarship, and that he was an honor student. Azumi congratulated him on getting into Ouran on merit alone, which he thanked her for. Haruhi then excused himself to get back to studying, as he had a major math test the next morning.

Kyoya led her toward the other side of the room, where two boys were seated. The smaller boy was eating a piece of cake, and in the seat next to him was a pink, stuffed rabbit. On the couch nearby was a tall boy with short black hair and a stoic expression who was reading. As they got closer Azumi realized that he was the boy from this morning who helped her up.

"This is Haninozuka Mitskuni and Morinozuka Takashi," Kyoya said, and then walked away. Azumi stared after him, confused as to why he would suddenly leave her standing there. Her question was answered as soon as the small blonde opened his mouth, however.

"Hi! I'm Honey, and this is Takashi! Would you like to have some cake with me?" He asked. Azumi smiled, he was really adorable.

"I'll just have some tea, but thank you," She said, taking the seat that was open at the table when Honey gestured for her to sit down. He poured her a glass of tea as he babbled, and Azumi found herself struggling to keep up.

"How come you're never stopped by before, Azu-chan? We've been in the same class since we were fourth years! I remember when you used to wear your hair down, it was so pretty!" Honey babbled happily, eating his cake.

"Well, I didn't know about this club until today. Ito Kimi and Ito Runa brought me," Azumi said, smiling at him. Honey smiled at her, looking over to the silent boy, who was watching them.

"Takashi! Come sit with Azu-chan and me! We can have cake!" Honey said, pulling another slice of cake out of nowhere. The boy nodded and pulled up a chair between Honey and Azumi, looking out of place with how large he was and how short the table was.

Honey proceeded to eat another three slices of cake before anyone said anything. It wasn't an uncomfortable silence, Honey ate his cake, Azumi drank her tea and sorted out her thoughts, and Mori read the book in his hand.

"Azu-chan, how do you like the Host Club so far?" Honey asked, playing with his stuffed bunny.

"This is a very interesting club, but I accidentally upset your president, I believe," She said.

"What happened?" Honey asked.

"Well, I hadn't heard of the Host Club before, and he overheard me when I told Ootori-san that I thought it was an escort service."

Honey's eyes widen as he looks at her, and Mori even puts down his book to look at her. She blinks, confused as to why they're looking at her so intensely, when Honey breaks the moment to start laughing wildly. Mori looks at her before smiling, and eventually Azumi smiles as well.

"Azu-chan, you're silly! Ne, Takashi?"

"Ah," The taller boy said, nodding. She expected him to go back to his book, but instead he turned to her.

"Did that boy bother you again?" He asked, his deep voice startling her slightly, as she wasn't expecting it. She smiled at him, however.

"No, but thank you for helping me up, Morinozuka-san, it was very nice of you," She said, nodding at him.

"Of course," He said.

Honey watched them interact with wide eyes, surprised that Mori was so talkative with someone he hadn't spoken to before.

"You don't have to be so formal with us, Azu-chan! We're friends, you can call us Honey and Mori, if you'd like," Honey insisted, trying to get her to loosen up a bit. He knew Azumi was a very introverted girl, and he hoped that maybe she would feel comfortable enough around them to loosen up.

"If that's okay with both of you," She said, looking at them to make sure it was okay, as they were asking her to drop their formal honorifics and go by nicknames, which signified friends. It would be improper to do so without making sure, first.

Honey nodded, and then she looked over to make sure that Mori was okay with it. He nodded at her, lifting up the corner of his mouth in an encouraging smile. Honey's eyes widened again.

Haruhi came over to them, unbuttoning his blazer and taking off his tie, which were both covered in tea.

"What happened, Haru-chan?" Honey asked.

"Tamaki-senpai spilled tea all over me, and now it's sticky. Do any of you happen to have anything I can borrow to wear? It's very uncomfortable," Haruhi sighed, fiddling with the collar of his shirt.

Honey and Mori both shook their heads, apologizing.

"That's okay, it's just going to be a long bus ride home with my shirt feeling like this," Haruhi sighed, turning to walk away.

"Fujioka-san, I have an extra shirt in my bag. It's my shirt for when I paint. You could borrow it, if you like. It's just a T-shirt," Azumi said, knowing that Haruhi must be uncomfortable enough to go so far as asking someone else if he could borrow clothing.

Haruhi turned and smiled at her.

"Thank you so much, Azumi-senpai, I appreciate it!" He said. Azumi nodded, reaching into her bag to get the shirt. When she looked up, Haruhi was gone.

"Haru-chan went to change, just behind those curtains," Honey said, pointing to the curtains in the back of the room. Azumi nodded, heading over towards the curtains.

She pushed them open a little poking her head through to give Haruhi the shirt.

Haruhi looked up, wearing a woman's undershirt, and suddenly Azumi realized that Haruhi wasn't a boy at all.

"Oh! Thanks again for letting me borrow the shirt. I'll get it back to you tomorrow," Haruhi said. Azumi nodded and handed the shirt over. Getting over the initial shock, Azumi smiled and nodded, closing the curtain.

As she walked back towards Honey and Mori, she decided that whatever reason Haruhi had for concealing her gender really wasn't any of her business, and she would respect Haruhi's privacy.

"Hisakawa-san, it would mean a great deal to the Host Club is you could keep Fujioka-san's gender a secret," Kyoya said, falling into step with her as she headed back towards Honey and Mori.

"Of course, Ootori-san, I wasn't planning to say anything anyways, it's not my business," She said as she reached the table. Honey and Mori looked up from the table, both giving Kyoya questioning looks.

"Thank you for your discretion, Hisakawa-san," Kyoya said, bowing to her and walking away. She nodded and grabbed her bag, not noticing the looks Honey and Mori were giving her.

"Thank you for the tea, Honey-kun and Mori-kun. I appreciate your company," She said, smiling at them, and turning to leave. Honey's eyes widened, knowing that if he did nothing, Azumi wouldn't come back again.

"Azu-chan! Will you come back tomorrow to have tea with us?" Honey asked, giving her his best puppy-dog look. She turned back to them, smiling.

"Of course, if that's what you want. I enjoyed talking to both of you," Azumi said, smiling. Honey brightened and nodded.

"That would be great, Azu-chan! See you tomorrow!" He said, waving. She nodded smiling, and walked out the door.

"Kyo-chan, why is Azu-chan being discrete?" Honey called from across the room, getting everyone's attention. Tamaki stopped mid rant, and the twins looked up from where they were quietly plotting some sort of scheme.

Kyoya looked up from his notebook, adjusted his glasses, and spoke to the now silent room.

"It seems that Hisakawa-san accidentally discovered Haruhi's gender. She agreed to keep everything quiet, and was very kind about the whole incident."

All eyes turned to Haruhi, who was back to studying.

"WHAT?" Tamaki cried, dashing over to Haruhi. The twins were running around Tamaki, provoking him and just generally making everything worse.

"Did someone walk in on my daughter changing? How did I miss this? Are you okay, Haruhi? Tell Daddy everything," He said, shoving her face against his chest. Haruhi rolled her eyes and pushed him off, giving him a lecture on personal boundaries as the twins laughed at him.

Honey glanced at Mori, who was watching Haruhi yell at Tamaki across the room, and smiled.

A plan was forming in Honey's mind, and as soon as the idea entered his head, he knew that it was worth all the effort it would take. After all, if anyone deserved to be happy, it was Mori.

* * *

A/N: So this is my first fic on this website. Any favorites or positive/constructive reviews are always welcomed and appreciated.

Please keep in mind I am heading to University in one week and things are going to be hectic for me for a while, so if updates get slow, yeah.

If you happen to see any spelling errors, please point them out to me? I have terrible eye-sight and I probably didn't see Word highlight them for me.

I'm really trying to get the Japanese honorifics and culture and whatnot right, but if I happen to be writing them incorrectly please don't hesitate to point that out to me, I'll fix it and send you a fruit basket. :)

TL;DR: I'm not good with spell check sometimes, tell me if I'm culturally stupid, updates may be staggered, if you leave kind and polite reviews you're awesome. :)


	2. Chapter 2

Author's note at the end!

* * *

About a week later, Azumi was sitting at her desk, drawing. She was struggling to get the branches on the tree right when a voice she'd grown familiar with rang out.

"Azu-chan!" Honey cried, startling Azumi and causing her to look up from her sketchbook. Honey was charging towards her, and she barely had time to set down her sketchbook before Honey had launched off of the ground, knocked Azumi out of her chair and flung himself around her neck. Mori wasn't far behind, shooting her a stoic look, as if silently apologizing for Honey's dramatics.

She smiled as he spun her around, happily babbling about his morning. She smiled back, politely, but internally wondering what they were doing in her History class.

The past week they had been enjoying each other's company at the Host Club after school, and they've grown to be the first people outside of her family that she can consider to be friends. It's a feeling that's new, but pleasant all the same.

"Good morning, Honey-san, I'm glad you're having a good day so far. Why are you here, though? Don't you need to get to class?" She questioned, because the school day started in about five minutes, and she didn't want Honey or Mori to be late.

Honey pulled away from her neck to give her a look of confusion. Mori raised an eyebrow.

"Azu-chan, this is our class, we've been here all year," Honey said, detangling himself from around her to stand beside Mori, both of them giving her matching looks.

Azumi looked down, blushing.

Great, she thought, now she's embarrassed herself in front of them.

"I'm sorry, I'm not usually good with noticing things unless they're pointed out to me," Azumi said, looking down and blushing. Honey smiled and laughed, patting her arm as he looked up at Mori.

"It's okay, Azu-chan, it's why we love you! Right Takashi?" Honey asked, giving Mori his gigantic eyes. Mori nodded and hummed, which Azumi smiled at. If they were okay with how oblivious she was, then they were some special people.

"Azu-chan, would you like to sit with us for lunch today?" Honey asked.

"Thank you, I'd enjoy that," She said.

"Yay! We'll wait for you after class is over! We can have cake, Azu-chan! Cake!" Honey said, prancing around and smiling. He skipped back to his seat across the room as he quietly sang 'cake, cake, cake' under his breath.

She turned back to Mori, who was rubbing the back of his neck. The thought occurred to Azumi that while she was perfectly comfortable being alone and enjoyed her own company, other people didn't feel the same way. She wondered how it must feel to be alone and so uncomfortable. To need someone by you, to complete you.

Mori didn't strike her as the type who needed Honey to complete him. He was his own person. However, he did look a little lonelier without Honey there to swing off his limbs and babble. Azumi felt something in her chest, and at first she didn't understand what it could be. It felt like it was settling somewhere in the gray space between sympathy and empathy.

"Mori-san, how are you?" She asked.

"Good, thank you. How about you?" He asked, and it surprised her again how deep his voice was. She smiled at him and gestured that he could sit in the empty desk next to her. Their third year history class only had around ten students in it, most students opting for a study period or desperately trying to get their correct credits to graduate.

"Good, my mother came home from Germany last night, so we had a big dinner to celebrate," Azumi smiled. It had been a good night, her mother telling her about the new museum she was working on, and how snappy artists can be to work with. Her and her sisters had all huddled into their parents bed afterwards, each of the Hisakawa girls drifting off as their mother played with their hair and regaled them with stories about the things she saw and who she met and where she went.

Azumi has always been close with her mother, in both looks and personality. She looked more like her mother, who was European, than her Japanese father. They share the same views on art and painting, enjoy similar works, and generally just got along better than Azumi and her father do. Mai tends to take after their father a little more, who likes to act gruff and grouchy, but only has their best interests at heart, even if he goes about it wrong sometimes. Sachi doesn't really take after either parent, she has red, curly hair and so much energy, her bubbly and enjoyable personality something that is entirely her own.

"What do your parents do?" Mori asked.

"My mother is a museum curator, and a bit of an art collector. She's helping to start a museum in Germany based on lost painters from different periods and eras. My father is an art collector. He's been away in France for some time, trying to secure a business deal," Azumi explained, and Mori nodded.

"That sounds like you have a very cultured household," Mori said. Azumi smiled at him, nodding.

"It's helped me with my art, that's for sure," She said.

"Can I see something you've done?" Mori asked, polite as ever, and Azumi hesitated.

Could he? She hadn't shown many people her work before. Her art teacher had seen what she painted at school, of course, and her family had all seen what she had done. She knew that her parent's friends had seen her work, but that was about it.

Mori was slowly carving himself into a new category, though. He and Honey had already spoken to her and taken more interest in her than any of her classmates ever had, that was certain. Honey was a good person, so kind and energetic, Azumi enjoyed being around him. Mori wasn't like that, however. She enjoyed being around him, and he didn't expect her to be energetic or laugh at her when she didn't notice something. He was a nice guy, he even helped her up off the floor when they first met.

She didn't know him too well, but she enjoyed his company well enough. Letting him see her art wouldn't be a problem.

"I mostly paint, and you're welcome to see those. They're large, however, and all at home. I don't have anything here that's finished, I'm afraid…" She trailed off.

"That's okay, Azu-chan! We can go over and see them after school, anyways! Tama-chan cancelled Host Club today, his grandmother is coming for a surprise visit, so we're free!" Honey said, coming over to join the conversation.

Azumi smiled and nodded, not really sure of what else to say.

* * *

A/N: So this chapter is shorter, but I should be out with chapter 3 sooner than I thought, as I decided to split what was originally all going to be chapter 2 into two parts.

Just a heads up, I am about to move 10 hours away from home and into my dorm, so things may slow down soon, I'm going to try and keep up with the story, though.

I noticed some people favorited and followed, which is cool, thank you for doing so :)

TL;DR: I'm about to move so story will slow down, chapter 3 should be out soon however.


	3. Chapter 3

Author's note at the end!

Disclaimer: I do not own the Ouran Host Club or any of the characters, only the original content is mine!

Enjoy :)

* * *

All through lunch, Honey and Azumi discussed what they would do after school. They agreed that Honey's driver wouldn't pick them up, they would ride home with Azumi. They would stay for dinner and then afterwards could go home.

After a quick call to let a surprised Sari know the addition of guests, Azumi finally realized that this was the first time she'd ever had friends over.

* * *

The limo ride was silent, and for the first time in her life, Azumi felt uncomfortable. She felt like she wanted to say things, but couldn't get the words out of her mouth, couldn't figure out how to phrase them. Her sisters were staring at her in shock.

"Azumi, I didn't know you… had friends," Mai said. Azumi knew she should probably be offended, but Mai was right. Both her sisters brought friends home from time to time, but never Azumi. Honey gave her a questioning look, and Mori glanced at her. She was usually good at reading expressions, but the look Mori gave her didn't seem to be in her vocabulary.

"This is Haninozuka Mitskuni and Morinozuka Takashi, they want to see my paintings," Azumi explained, and both her sisters nodded.

"Azu, make sure you show them the one of the mountains! Oh- oh- and the one of me! That one is my favorite!" Sachi was off, launching into a spiel about Azumi's painting as Honey bounced in his seat and began asking her questions about all the paintings Azumi had done. Mori looked towards her, smiling, and she smiled back, grateful for the silent reassurance. It was like Mori could tell she was uncomfortable, and knew how to make everything a little less overwhelming.

* * *

Azumi stood in her gallery, fiddling with her hands nervously. Mori and Honey were completely silent, they hadn't said a word since they walked in, which was almost five minutes ago. They just walked around, staring at everything she had done.

Why did she do this? She let them in her house, they're looking at her most prized possessions. She's showing them a part of herself that she hasn't shown to anyone else that wasn't family or a family friend. This is uncharted waters. This is new and dangerous and riskier than anything she's done before. What if they don't like her work? Why does she care?

Why does she care, though? That's a good question. Do these boys mean something to her? They're certainly the first people to make any effort to get to know her. Maybe that itself is what makes them important? Yes, she decided, they are important. They're important.

"Azu-chan, this is… this is amazing!" Honey said, coming up to her with wide eyes. She felt a breath leave her lungs that she hadn't realized she was holding in. She gave him a shaky smile, and he ran up to her, throwing his arms around her waist.

"They're so beautiful!" He cried, then let go to walk back to a painting he had been staring at for a particularly long time.

She shifted, wondering why she still felt uncomfortable, then realized it was because she still had on her school uniform. While the yellow dress wasn't awful, it wasn't all that comfortable to wear either.

"If you'll excuse me, I'm going to change out of my uniform, it's not very comfortable… But feel free to keep looking around," she said, excusing herself.

When Honey was sure she was out of ear-shot, he decided to put his plan into action. Honey had noticed Mori had been glancing at Azumi all through the car ride, and at lunch, and in class. Honey knows that Mori doesn't let his emotions show through very often. He knows that Mori feels like he doesn't deserve to have nice things, and that he blames himself so easily for things that aren't his fault.

Honey wants to show Mori that he deserves nice things, he deserves to be happy, and Honey knows that Azumi needs Mori just as much as he needs her. Honey's master plan is simple, get them to realize that they're good for each other.

"Azu-chan is amazing, ne Takashi?" He asked, coming to stand beside Mori. Mori's face was priceless. His eyes were blown wide, staring at a painting that Honey could tell must have taken Azu-chan months to perfect. It was so complex, a painting of people dancing at a party, done with tiny little dots and intricate patterns.

He nodded, and Honey's smile widened. This was going to be so easy.

"She's so pretty too! Her hair's always in that braid, but then it all falls out and she looks so cute, right Takashi?" Honey asked, jumping up and down around Mori, who nodded and smiled a little bit.

"And she's got those big brown eyes, and her skin is so smooth and it looks soft, don't you think so Takashi?" Honey asked, giving him the best watery eyes he can. Mori looks down, raising an eyebrow.

"Do you like her, Mitskuni?" He asked, and Honey felt his head throb in irritation, Takashi was missing the point.

"Nah, I was just pointing it out. Don't you agree?" He asked, prancing around Mori in a circle, swinging Usa-chan as he did so. Mori nodded, smiling a small smile, like his new feelings were so secret. Honey could see right through him, he's known Mori his entire life. They know everything about each other.

"What do you like best about her, Takashi?" Honey asked. "I like her smile, it's so pretty!"

Mori didn't say anything, but the way his lip quirked told Honey all he needed to know. Mori's favorite part about Azumi wasn't something he needed to tell Honey, just as long as he had a favorite part about her was what was important.

They stood together in silence some more, staring at the things Azumi had painted, all so intricate and gorgeous, so much detail that you would miss if you didn't concentrate. The paintings were like Azumi, when Honey thought about it. They looked like common scenes from far away, very ordinary, but when you got closer you saw all the details and all the time and care and passion she put into every inch of her paintings. She used creative techniques to make something that should be ordinary extremely special.

Azumi walked back in, and both boys turned to look at her, only to be silenced into shock.

Azumi's hair wasn't in a braid, instead flowing down to her waist in waves. She was wearing a big, dark blue sweater and some jeans, but she looked so pretty. Honey looked at Mori, who was wearing an expression similar to when he realized Haruhi was a girl. If it wasn't such an intimate moment, Honey would giggle.

"You look so pretty Azu-chan!" Honey said, launching himself at her, laughing. She laughed too as she caught him, swinging him around in a circle.

Mori was staring at her when she set him down, blushing as he met her eyes.

"What do you think, Mori-san?" She asked, and it was confusing when she hoped that what he said would be positive. She dismissed it as nerves, wanting people to like her work was a common thing, even though this feeling felt a little different from that. She didn't want him to like her artwork like she wanted other people to like her artwork. He was different, for a reason Azumi didn't want to think about.

"They're beautiful," He said, she the smile she gave him was absolutely radiant. Honey felt himself internally squeal in excitement, the two of them were so cute! He needed cake to celebrate this victory.

* * *

"So, Azumi, introduce me to your new friends," Her mother prodded.

"This is Morinozuka Takashi and Haninozuka Takashi, they're in my year at school," Azumi said.

Her mother nodded, smiling. This was truly a sight, her lovely daughter bringing home friends for the first time. It was even more shocking that they were two handsome young men.

"It's a pleasure to meet you," She smiled. They smiled back and thanked her for letting them into her home.

"Tell me about your families, boys," Her mother said. Mai and Sachi snickered as Azumi put her head in her hands. Her mother had never had the chance to embarrass Azumi in front of friends before, something she did with Mai and Sachi regularly.

"My family and Takashi's family are martial artists! We train police forces and have a bunch of dojos," Honey said as he shoveled the food on his plate into his mouth.

"Haninozuka… I think my husband has worked with your family before, back when you built a new house, am I correct? I think he advised your parents on some classical pieces," She said.

"That's right, we did build a house a few years ago! My family and I break things easily," Honey said, shrugging.

"Do you boys follow in the family business, then?" Her mother asked. They both nodded politely, Honey speaking up once more.

"I'm the national champion in Karate and Judo, and Takashi is the national champion in Kendo!" Honey said proudly, setting his fork down on his plate. Azumi looked at them in surprise, she hadn't known that.

"My, that's very impressive. Congratulations, both of you," Her mother said, smiling at them. They nodded their thanks in response.

"Did you enjoy Azumi's artwork? She's very talented," Her mother said, smiling at Azumi as Azumi blushed and looked down. She'd never tease Sachi for being embarrassed by their mother again, this was a nightmare.

"It's amazing, ne Takashi?" Honey asked, looking over to Mori.

"It's very beautiful," He said, smiling at Azumi warmly. She blushed and smiled back at him, neither of them noticing her mother and sister's raised eyebrows. This was something new.

"Thank you very much, Mori-san," She said politely.

"Takashi," He insisted. Honey's eyebrows shot up, looking towards Mori in surprise. He had never asked anyone to call him by his first name before.

Honey looked over to Azumi's mother, who was looking at him in shock. He smiled at her and winked, and she returned the smile.

Her mother looked towards Azumi, who was smiling at Mori and blushing, and realized that she was looking at the beginnings of love, and she knew that her daughter was completely unaware of it. She'd never seen this side of her daughter, who was always quiet and kept to herself. She brought home friends, showed them her artwork, and invited them to dinner. Her mother knew they were special.

"Takashi, then," Azumi nodded, and the rest of dinner was spent in comfortable silence.

* * *

When it was time to leave, both boys kindly thanked Azumi's family for letting them stay for dinner, promising to see Azumi tomorrow as they left. Honey carefully said nothing until they were back in the limo, waiting until Mori couldn't run away from the conversation.

"Takashi, you have feelings for Azu-chan," Honey stated plainly.

The way Mori's head whipped towards him was almost comical, and how wide his eyes were was even funnier.

"Takashi, I can read you like a book. You have feelings for her. You should spend some time with her! We only have a few months left before school is over," Honey said, completely serious, all facades of cuteness and cake dropped for the moment.

"Mitskuni, I won't leave you," Mori said seriously, and Honey sighed.

"You're not leaving me, Takashi. I know you will always be here. I just want you to be happy, and I know she makes you happy. Don't be alone because of me! I know you'll always be here for me when I need you," Honey said, turning in his seat to face Mori.

Mori sat there, staring at his hands in concentration. He had feelings for Azumi, there was no point in denying it. He didn't think she was aware of them, however, considering they had the same class all year and she never noticed him. He liked her all the same. He liked the way she played with her golden hair and her shy smile, like she was embarrassed about being happy. He liked the way her eyes lit up when she got excited about art, and how oblivious she was to everything, and he really liked the way she looked when she wasn't in uniform. He wanted to run his hands through her long hair and hold her close and protect her.

He was feeling things he had never felt before, this desire to be so close to someone, even closer than he was with Honey. He wanted to know everything about her, he craved it. It was like someone had lit a little fire inside him, and he was doing everything in his power to protect that fire, to keep it safe, to make sure it grew.

And with Honey telling him to go for it, Mori couldn't find any concrete reason not to. Maybe not this second, but eventually. He didn't want to rush into anything, he just wanted to spend time with her.

Honey smiled as he watched Takashi mull his feelings over, hoping that this push had been in the right direction.

* * *

Author's Note: The rating on this story IS GOING TO CHANGE later on. I don't know if there is going to be lemon, but there will be more mature themes that require the M rating, just a heads up.

I am moving on Tuesday, and start classes on the 24th, so it could be a while before I am able to update again, sorry!

Thank you to everyone who has read, followed, and favorited! That's so nice and I'm glad you like the story! :) I have the whole plot worked out and I'm excited to write it all.

TL;DR: Rating will change, next update may be a while, thank you for reading!


	4. Chapter 4

Author's note at the end of the page!

Short but important chapter! :)

-I wrote this in a hurry because my roommate is trying to sleep, please let me know if there are grammatical errors or spelling errors that I didn't catch-

* * *

As soon as Azumi closed the front door behind Mori and Honey, Sari and her mother saw their opportunity and pounced.

"Where did you meet them?"

"They're so handsome!"

"Their manners are impeccable!"

"Are you dating one of them?"

"Why didn't you tell me you had a boyfriend?"

"Let's have a spa night so you can tell us everything!" Her mother cried, sharing an evil glance with Sari. They latched onto her arms, picking her up with strength that Azumi didn't know they possessed. They dragged her towards her mother's bathroom, calling for some of the other maids to get them some towels and lotion and nail polish.

When they had successfully sedated Azumi with her favorite juice and a bowl of fruit, they sat down across her on the bathroom floor. Each of them was bundled up in snow white robes and had toe-separators wedged onto their feet. Her mother and Sari faced each other, trying to find the right color for each other's toenail polish.

"You like that tall boy," Sari said, eyeing her. Azumi's eyes widened.

"What? That's crazy!"

The look Sari gave her in response said all the sarcastic comments that were left unspoken, and Azumi decided to give up the act. She never was a good actress.

"How do you know that? You weren't even at dinner!" Azumi said, sighing. Sari hadn't been present at the dinner table like she usually was. It might seem unconventional to eat with their servants, but the Hisakawas have always told all their employees that they are family and are more than welcome to eat with the family. The product of this invitation has been many close friendships formed with many of the Hisakawa employees.

"I know everything," Sari said, holding her chin up as she selected a lavender purple polish for her mother to wear. Her mother eyed it against her fair skin tone before nodding in agreement. She pointed to a deep red for Sari, who smiled and nodded.

"I do like him, but I don't know what to do. I don't know why I should do anything, I'm still waiting to hear back from Otis," Azumi said, sighing as she got lost in her thoughts.

Otis College of Art and Design was Azumi's dream. One of the top art schools in America, it produced some of the greatest modern artists. The level of work that Otis put into its students and the quality of pieces always astounded Azumi each time she saw works from an Alumni show. She sent off her application and portfolio a month ago, and she has a few weeks left before she is supposed to hear anything back.

Her mother has a house in Los Angeles, and is only about a twenty minute bus ride from Otis. If she gets accepted, she's taking the first step towards everything she's ever wanted. If she doesn't, she's decided to travel and get inspiration from foreign countries. Azumi has always had an affinity for languages, and she currently speaks fluent Japanese and French, along with a fair amount of Italian, English, Spanish and Portuguese.

"Azumi, are you with us?" Her mother asked, chiding her teasingly. Azumi blushed and nodded.

"You can't let things that may happen govern your decisions. Just because there is one way your life could go, doesn't mean that it gets to rule the way your life is currently going. Do you understand?" Azumi nodded.

"Good. You should invite him to dinner," Sari said, smiling.

"I already did invite him to dinner," Azumi said, confused.

"I mean just him, his friend is very nice, but we want to get to know him, and it would be good to see if you enjoy spending time with just him alone," Her mother explained, and they made so much sense it was a little frightening.

Azumi pondered this for a while before nodding and agreeing. They were right after all, she hadn't spent much time with just him. Would they even be comfortable around each other that long?

* * *

Over the next week, Azumi let herself get more acquainted with her feelings for Morinozuka Takashi. She observed him as she sorted through her feelings. She observed the way his eyes saw everything, even her incessant staring. She noticed the way his hands were firm and steady, hands that meant safety and stability. She learned his different smiles; the crooked one when he thought something was funny; the small, happy smile he got when Honey asked for his opinion; the secret one that he was almost unaware of. That was her favorite smile, the one he didn't know had slipped onto his face.

She had come to the following conclusion through her shy observations: Being brave is horrible.

Azumi's stomach had been twisting itself into knots all day long, and she wasn't able to even think about Mori without blushing. All through her classes with him, Honey babbled away while they both remained completely silent. Mori in his usual stoic nature, and Azumi in a state of gut-wrenching fear, like she could see him shaking his head no when she invited him over.

Everything spilled out of her mouth in the hallway, of all places. Everything seemed to happen in the hallway, even their first meeting. She stared up at him, wide eyed and heavy-breathing while he stared back down at her, calm and unmoving, a steady point in her sea of terror.

"Takashi, would you like to come to dinner this week?" Azumi spit out, rushed and all jumbled together. Mori glanced at her, his face the usual mask of stoicism.

He stared at her for a second, and the anxiety only built up inside of Azumi, wondering what he could possibly be thinking of. Was he finding the gentlest way to let her down? Was he looking for a way to get out of it? What if he invited Honey along? Nothing against Honey of course, because Honey is quickly becoming one of Azumi's best friends, but she wanted to spend some time with just him. Did he understand that?

"Yeah, thanks for inviting me," He said, nodding to her. She stared at him in shock for a minute, not believing what she heard.

"Just you," She said, and oh god why did she say that? What's wrong with her? Why is she so anxious over this stupid boy? Except he wasn't stupid he was wonderful and kind and caring and-

"Yes," He said, nodding again, that secret smile quirking up and doing all sorts of funny things to Azumi's stomach.

She smiled back at him, and he walked her to her next class, even though they didn't share it together. Azumi spent the rest of the morning with a big smile on her face, happy and excited in a new way that she had never experienced before.

* * *

A/N: Okay so I'm all moved into my dorm and I have a light class load this semester, so hopefully this story will continue at a reasonable pace. I have the whole plot worked out, so let me assure you all that I have more planned, the story isn't going to be over for a while. :)

The rating is going to go up to an M rating, not for anything lemon, but for mature themes such as anxiety and depression. I am warning everyone now, if this seems like a trigger to you, please take care of yourself and be cautious as you read.

I start classes the 24th, but I don't have any classes on Fridays so I hope that next weekend I can get another chapter out. We'll see, though.

Thank you to everyone who has read and been patient with my move and schedule, you're all wonderful!

And especially a thank you to those who have followed, favorited, and reviewed this story! It means so much to me and always brightens my day! Thank you for keeping the reviews kind and sweet, it makes my day to read them! :)

TL:DR; hopefully updates should come during the weekends, RATING WILL GO UP TAKE CARE TO READ WHY, thank you to everyone for being wonderful cinnamon rolls!


	5. Chapter 5

Author's note At the end!

I don't own Ouran Host Club, just the OC's. :)

* * *

"Azu-chan!" Honey shouted, launching himself on her as per his usual form of greeting. Prepared after almost a month of knowing Honey, she steadied her stance in the hallway, and sure enough, Honey barreled into her at an alarming speed, wrapped his arms around her waist and spun her around.

"Hello Honey, I thought we would just meet each other for lunch," Azumi said, confused. They usually just met at the lunch table to eat, not in the hallway.

"We are! But Takashi had to help Haruhi get instant coffee, so it's just us right now! We can talk!" Honey said, happy as ever, even though Azumi felt a creeping suspicion of ulterior motive. Honey, for all his sweet and caring nature, has a hidden streak of something decidedly cunning in him.

"Okay, well what do you want to talk about?" Azumi asked as they walked into the lunch room together. In the past few weeks as Azumi became better friends with Honey and Mori, people used to stare at her, but they had since stopped, moving onto the next newest things that was going on at Ouran. It was unusual to be walking alongside Mori, Azumi noted, missing the tall, silent figure that stood at her right side every day. She missed him, and found it kind of odd that Haruhi would need help with buying instant coffee today when she bought it every day by herself before.

"Your date with Takashi!" Honey says, pulling a cake out of nowhere and taking a large bite. Azumi had a moment where her stomach lurched. Honey knew?

But then Azumi realized that of course Honey knew, he knew things even when Mori didn't say anything. He knew that their date was tonight, of course. Its honey, why wouldn't he know? He knows everything about Takashi.

"I don't know what to do… I'm so nervous," Azumi said quietly as she sat down with Honey at the table. Honey finished his cake and looked at her.

"You and Takashi are good for each other, and you make each other happy, all the other stuff is just things that will work themselves out," Honey said, looking at her with serious eyes that she only ever got glimpses of.

Azumi sat there in stunned silence, mulling over what Honey had said. He looked over at her when he was done with his cake, his large brown eyes confused.

"What's wrong, Azu-chan?" He asked.

"I don't know, I very much like Takashi, but I'm not sure if any outcome will be something that can last long term," Azumi explained.

"What do you mean?" Honey asked.

"I've applied to an art school in California, and if I get accepted I'll be moving there in August…" Azumi trailed off, not sure how to finish her sentence, but Honey seemed to get what she was saying.

"Just talk to Takashi, he deserves to know. Don't worry Azu-chan, everything will work out!" Honey said, cheerful as ever. Azumi sighed, trying with every fiber of her being to believe Honey. She wanted to so badly. She wanted to believe that she could tell him she may leave and everything would change and he would just accept it.

* * *

The only reason that the ride home wasn't awkward was because Azumi fell asleep. She'd spent so many nights worrying herself to the point of exhaustion that it all seemed to finally hit her when Takashi got in the car with her.

She woke sometime later, head being cradled by two large legs and her hair being played with, gently and lovingly. Azumi recalled hazy memories of her childhood, spent playing in the yard with her sisters and Sari, braiding each other's hair and telling stories. She smiled, snuggling closer to her pillow in foggy delight, when a hand gently touched her shoulder.

"Azumi, we're here," A deep voice said. Azumi sat up, confused, rubbing her eyes and trying to blink back sleep. Why is she in her family's limo? Shouldn't she be in bed? She turned to look at Mori, who was sitting next to her, a small smile playing on his face.

"What?" She asked, blinking again. Hair fell in her face and she pushed it back sleepily, only to have it fall right back in her face. Takashi pushed her hair back for her, gently carding his hands through her blonde locks. She looked up at him, feeling a blush creep up on her face. He smiled at her, and leaned in to put his forehead against hers. He didn't try to push the matters, he just held her there, completely content to have this type of closeness with her.

Azumi felt her stomach do all sorts of gymnastics, her heart was stuck in her throat and she wanted to say so much, everything she was feeling and she couldn't get the words out. She choked them back, closing her eyes to try and just be happy in the moment.

"Your maid is outside the door," Mori said after a few minutes. Azumi turned around and jumped back at the sight of Sari poking her head through the door and jumped back when she saw Sari's face pressed up against the glass, her nose smashed against the glass and her eyes open in intense observation. When she saw Azumi turn she gave her the biggest smile. Azumi sighed, pulling her hair into a low ponytail and grabbing Mori's hand.

"Sari, you could at least pretend to be less nosy," Azumi huffed, mildly irritated at being interrupted. She still loved Sari, but sometimes she wanted some privacy.

Privacy! That's it, Azumi knows exactly where they can get some privacy!

She grabbed Mori's hand as they got out of the car, turning to glance back at him and smiling. He looked at her, smiling back and following easily, so that she barely had to lead him at all. She steered them around the house, ignoring all the protests from her employees that they needed to go to dinner and whatnot.

She led them through the gardens, towards the rose garden her mother had planted when she was a little girl, teaching her that each rose was different and required different attention.

She stopped when they got to her favorite spot, an old memory of a place, with vines and branches forming a shade over it. Out of the way and quiet, they could be alone for once, just blissfully alone.

"This is my favorite place. I used to come here with my mother when I was little, and she'd teach me about flowers," Azumi explained, sitting down on the ground, her hands carding through the soft grass. Mori stood there for a while, looking around and observing. He looked down at her, smiled slightly, and sat down next to her, his hand taking hold of hers as they sat side by side and enjoyed the day.

They stayed there for some time, enjoying the sound of wind and birds chirping, and it gave Azumi some time to think about how she should tell Mori that she might be leaving, might have to leave this moment, this wonderful country, and him.

Looking at him, she sighed, it may be better to rip off the bandage, as her mother used to say.

"Takashi, I need to tell you something," She said. He looked at her, expressionless in a way that she was beginning to understand was his defensive mode, when he wasn't sure what was going to happen. His expressions were a way for him to protect himself.

"I applied to an art school in America a couple months ago, and I should be hearing back soon. If I got in, I leave in August," Azumi said, letting the silence that followed her words eat her away inside. She watched him, his face not moving a muscle as he sat there and thought about what she said. What if he turned her down? She wouldn't blame him. Why get attached and then have to leave? It seemed silly for her to be upset if he wanted nothing to do with her after this. She decided that she couldn't be angry or sad if he thought she was too much baggage, it wasn't fair for her to spring this on him anyways.

His hand tightened on hers, and then he was leaning in, his forehead resting against hers, holding them there in that embrace. She looked up at him, her eyes big and confused. Is this his way of saying that he doesn't mind that she may leave? Is he telling her he's okay with it all? He gives her a smile, genuine and kind, and she has to ask.

"Are you sure?" She breathed.

"Yes," He whispered, and then he was kissing her.

It was different from what Azumi expected of a first kiss. She'd never kissed anyone, never had the desire, but there was something hot burning inside of her now. The mechanics of it were awkward, two lips touching was hardly anything to get excited over, but the intimacy was what shocked her. She wanted to be as close to him as she could. She wanted to coil herself around him and not let go, this terrifying and new feeling taking control of her in a way that nothing else had before.

He held her like she was made of glass, the finest china he had ever seen, and he kissed her the same way, gentle and unassuming and lovingly. Azumi both cherished it and wanted something else. She wrapped an arm around his shoulders and bit his lip gently, causing him to make a noise not unlike a growl. Something shot through her and coiled in her stomach, making it presence known, unfamiliar and foreign.

Suddenly she was being gently laid down, Mori beside her, and he hadn't broken the kiss. He gently laid an arm on her waist, as if asking permission. She put her hand on his neck in response, a silent yes in their unspoken language. She liked the way his hand felt on her, he didn't try to touch her anywhere else, he just held her, and kissed her. He didn't ask for more than she was willing to give. This thought made feelings bloom in her chest that she didn't know what to do with.

A hand gently carded through her hair, taking the hair tie out and letting her hair flow to the ground under her. He ran his hands through her hair and Azumi couldn't help but sigh in contentment, feeling so happy she could stand on top of the world and cry out to everyone that she truly was the happiest person alive. Mori was kissing her, holding her, and it was more than she had ever thought about before.

They kissed for what felt like days, before he pulled back to move her closer to his chest, tucking her head under his chin. His arms came around her to hold her, one hand still playing with her hair. She only realized why when a shiver ran through her, and looked up to see the stars twinkling down at them from between the branches.

"Everyone is probably worried," She whispered to him. A chuckle erupted from his chest, and he pulled his head back to look down at her, a smile playing on his face. She loved his smile, wanted to see it all the time, wanted to do anything in the world just to keep it on his face.

"Let them," He said quietly, and then pulled her back to his chest, where they stayed until Mori went home.

As Azumi fell into bed later that night, her chest felt like it might explode with how much she was feeling. She couldn't even begin to sort through her emotions, and was gently lulled to sleep by the phantom feeling of hands in her hair, her new favorite thing in the world.

* * *

Author's note:

THE RATING IS GOING TO GO UP FOR MATURE THEMES AND POSSIBLY LEMON IDK BUT BE AWARE!

OKAY so this chapter really got away from me... Like I wasn't planning to put that whole second part in but literally I am such a sucker for fluff so here we are. By the way, the next few chapters will be mostly fluff before things start to get all... plotty or whatever, just a heads up.

I finally got the OHSHC manga I'm so excited!:D

I don't know when I'll be able to update again, probably pretty soon... I already have assignments to do but hopefully it wont be too big of a gap. I do have 3 day weekends every week, so that should help. Anyways, thanks for all those who patiently waited!

Thank you to everyone who has been reading, rating, and reviewing! You're all amazing!

This wasn't beta'd by anyone, so if you see any mistakes please let me know!

TL;DR: RATING WILL GO UP, no beta tell me if I messed up grammar stuff please :), hopefully will be updating soon(ish), thank you for reading :)


	6. Update! (Also: I suck and I'm sorry)

Hello everyone

I'm mostly writing this to tell you I have not forgotten this story.

I've been really, really down these past few months, my anxiety and depression have consumed me, and I haven't had the energy to do anything past my assignments lately. I apologize for promising regular updates and not keeping to this.

I do want to continue this story, I promise I have not forgotten about it.

However, I re-read what I've written and I'm sort of embarrassed by how much I rushed through the beginning chapters and the grammatical errors I found. So before I publish any new chapters, I'm going to edit what I've already written. Don't worry, the plot will not change, just the errors I've made.

I am so sorry for abandoning this story, I should have put a hiatus notice in the summary, but I sort of suck, so I didn't. (sorry) ((doing that now))

The updates for this may be slow coming and even large gaps apart, but I genuinely feel for this story and it doesn't seem right to me to just abandon it. I don't want to do that to anyone who liked it, because that always stinks when a good fic is never finished.

Please forgive me for leaving you guys hanging for so long, I'm trying to get my life together, and I'll try to update when I can.

Thanks for being wonderful!


End file.
